FRUIT & VEGETABLES
100 per cent cranberry juice, light cranberry juice, dried cranberries and cranberry extract; however most of the research surrounding cranberries and UTIs has been conducted using juice. The suggestion that a nutritional approach like cranberry juice could reduce antibiotic use is welcome news given the alarming challenge it presents to public health, one that the WHO refers to as one of the greatest challenges to public health today6, and that the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer said could become a threat ‘greater than cancer’.7 According to Gupta, those who suffer from UTIs can feel confident that this nutritional approach is a potential solution – further validating more than 50 years of welldocumented cranberry research. Footnotes: 1. Foxman B, Barlow R, D’Arcy H, Gillespie B, Sobel JD. Urinary tract infection: selfreported incidence and associated costs. Ann Epidemiol. 2000 Nov;10(8):509-15. 2. Foxman B, Brown P.Epidemiology of urinary tract infections: transmission and risk factors, incidence, and costs. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2003 Jun;17(2):227-41. 3. American Urological Association. “Adult
UTI: Epidemiology/Socioeconomics/ Education.” Available at:https://www. auanet.org/education/adult-uti.cfm 4. Antimicrobial resistance: global report on surveillance 2014; WHO; http:// www.who.int/drugresistance/documents/ surveillancereport/en/ 5. Hotchkiss AT, Nunez A, Strahan GD, Chau
H, White A, Marais J, Hom K, Vakkalanka MS, Di R, Yam KL, Khoo C. Cranberry Xyloglucan Structure and Inhibition of Escherichia coli Adhesion to Epithelial Cells. J Agric Food Chem. 2015 Jun 17;63(23):5622-33. 6. Antimicrobial resistance: global report on surveillance 2014; WHO; http://
www.who.int/drugresistance/documents/ surveillancereport/en/ 7. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ news/article-3539189/ Common-infections-deadlierthreat-CANCER-unless-antibioticproblems-tackled-George-Osborne-warns. html
Researchers look to tropical fruit as a schizophrenia treatment R
esearchers at The University of Queensland have begun clinical trials into whether an extract from mangosteen, a tropical fruit found in Indonesia, can help treat schizophrenia. Queensland Brain Institute Professor John McGrath is conducting the trial into the role of mangosteens in easing symptoms of psychosis. Previous research has indicated that the very potent antioxidants in mangosteen rind might provide a safe and effective treatment, with no side-effects. “This is a gentle and safe intervention which evidence so far suggests could improve symptoms, and it’s important we investigate its potential as a matter of urgency,” Professor McGrath said. “We aren’t suggesting this is a wonder drug, but we must investigate
potential new treatments which are safe, effective and don’t have the current medication’s side-effects like weight gain, which can lead to other major health problems. “Finding better treatments for schizophrenia is difficult, it will take
radicals, which can build up in certain disease states. “I’ve found over the years that when you talk to patients or their relatives they say ‘I just don’t want anyone else to go through this,” Professor McGrath said.
“When people join a clinical trial like this, they become our citizen scientists, part of our research team. “That is an inspiring and heartwarming trust which we hope will ultimately lead to better lives for all patients, even if it’s only a modest improvement.”
"I've found over the years that when you talk to patients or their relatives they say 'I just don't want anyone else to go through this." decades, so let’s start now.” Mangosteen is a tropical evergreen fruit native to Indonesia. The thick purple rind of the fruit contains compounds called xanthones which are often used in herbal teas and traditional medicines. Antioxidants are thought to work because they restrict potentially damaging molecules known as free www.foodmag.com.au | Dec/Jan 2017 | Food&Beverage Industry News 9